Chris Jordan, Sam Robson & Moeen Ali in England Test squad

England have named uncapped trio Chris Jordan, Sam Robson and Moeen Ali in the squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's on 12 June.

Sussex fast bowler Jordan, 25, took 12 wickets in the one-day series with Sri Lanka, while Moeen, 26, played in three ODIs in the West Indies last winter.

Opening batsman Robson, 24, averages 51 for Middlesex this season.

Back in the mix

Fast bowler Liam Plunkett is in line to play his first Test since 2007, when he took just one wicket in a 60-run victory against West Indies at Old Trafford. In his previous nine Tests, he has taken 23 wickets at an average of 39.82.

Plunkett, 29, has enjoyed a resurgence at Yorkshire, where he is bowling with real pace, often touching 90mph. He has taken 24 wickets this season at an average of 24, while he has a highest score of 86 with the bat.

"It's very exciting for Liam," said national selector James Whitaker. "He's shown all the hallmarks of a spearhead fast bowler.

"He's bowled some really quick spells. The quickest was at Lord's. He'll be confident there and we wish him well."

In Peter Moores's first squad since he become head coach for a second time, there is no place for Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was one of the few positives to emerge from England's disastrous Ashes whitewash over the winter.

Lancashire wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, who struck the
fastest ODI century
by an England batsman during the Sri Lanka series, also misses the cut.

England will hope Sussex keeper Prior can rediscover his best form after being dropped during the Ashes series following a run of poor form with the bat. He has only recently returned from an Achilles tendon injury to play for his county.

The 32-year-old averages 40 with the bat in his 75 Tests, and Whitaker said: "Our number one priority is someone being 100% fit and we're confident Matt is. We believe he can be part of that core group of players that can drive the team forward over the next three or four years.

Analysis

Graeme SwannEx-England spinner on BBC Radio 5 live

"It's a fairly predictable squad. I think it gives England's hand away as how they will approach the series, with a lot of pace bowling.

"I think Monty Panesar has a few things to deal with off the field. When they are sorted, I wouldn't be surprised if he comes back because he is a world-class spin bowler."

"Very few people go through their careers without a blip but he is just the sort of character we want in that team."

Jordan has impressed with bat and ball in one-day internationals since making his debut in the home series against Australia last year.

He hit 38 from 13 balls and took 3-25 in the
first match
against Sri Lanka at The Oval, and returned the best figures by an England bowler at Old Trafford with
5-29 in match three.

Worcestershire's Ali, meanwhile,
was named Player of the Year
by the Professional Cricketers' Association last season after scoring more than 2,000 runs in all forms of the game and taking 55 wickets with his off-spin bowling.

He has recently been working with his county's overseas player, Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal, to improve his bowling.

"Saeed is always giving me tips," said Moeen, who also represented England at this year's World Twenty20 tournament. "He has done it at the top level and what I'm practising bowling-wise, he has been through already so that gives me a confidence boost."

England's home Test schedule

12 June:
1st Test v
Sri Lanka,
Lord's

20 June:
2nd Test v
Sri Lanka,
Headingley

9 July:
1st Test v
India,
Trent Bridge

17 July:
2nd Test v
India,
Lord's

27 July:
3rd Test v
India,
Southampton

7 August:
4th Test v
India,
Old Trafford

15 August:
5th Test v
India,
The Oval

Robson gets his chance after impressing with the bat over the winter, when he scored two centuries for the England Performance Programme and three hundreds for England Lions on their tour of Sri Lanka.

"It took a little while to sink in," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "I was born and grew up in Australia until I left school but I've lived here for almost seven years now and this is my home and where my life has taken me. I love living here and this is where my life is I suppose."

The second match in the two-Test series against the Sri Lankans begins at Headingley on Friday, 20 June.

Comments

Butlers batting is only good in ODI and 20/20 because of the field placings

In a test match with more attacking fields his batting is as much a liability as his dodgy WK skills. its outrageous picking a WK for a test based on the strength of being a good slogger in a 20/20 match.

It would be like picking someone to fly your corporate jet based on the fact he can do wheelies in a tractor.

I'm delighted we've gone for four seamers rather than trying to wish-away not having a good spinner. Ali is as good as any we have. Disappointed Foster not in though, he'd have got more runs than Prior did in Australia.

I agree with one of the previous posts.Robson will soon be found out in test cricket.After being given a good going over, he will soon discover he don't live up to his famous namesake in sport Bryan Robson and no captain marvel either as well.

Without Taylor (why?) and Bairstow (why did he try to be a Test wicket keeper just as he was beginning to look like a Test batter?) the batting looks shaky so of the all-rounders in the twelve we'll have to pick the strongest batters. Woakes and Plunkett in, Root out then.

No doubt they will tell us that this team is picked with the future in mind; which is fair enough. But changing faces in both management and playing staff is all very well - I still haven't heard exactly what anyone proposes to do about England's two collective technical weaknesses - against fast, short-pitched bowling and high-class spin bowling.

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